What kinds of things do you do for gifts? I have a set limit that I spend on each person and yes for my hubby and girls it can be a fair bit....I get them to choose some of their gifts so they get what they want...it can be hard since they are adults and can buy what they want/need throughout the year...so we do a mixture of gifts that they want and things like ambulance cover/raa (covers car breakdowns/keys locked in car etc)...things that we can do every year that are good for them to have that they need but might not want to pay for....it works for us....we still buy for the vet tree (gives donations to a rescue place) and to backpacks forsa kids (make backpacks for foster children and gives them gifts at xmas) as well as our regular chocolates/cookies for people at the chemist (drugstore), vets, doctors office....so how does everyone else do it..pick things randomly for their family?, get them what they want?...just curious

Is it sad that I am looking forward to next year so much...I have about given up on this year...although it has been a tough year in some areas...I know it has been a lot tougher for others...but I am ready for a new year.

I am going to sit sown this week and tweak my budget, I have a few more medical expenses coming up that I hadn't put in the budget (didn't have them at the time) and I have a savings goal that i want to reach next year in order to buy our house so I need to know how much we need each month to achieve that...

The stores here are getting crazy for christmas there was a 2 hour line up just to get into kmart yesterday...my daughter just walked out..she couldn't be bothered...lucky we have done most of our shopping only have food to go...but that is easy.

Then I need to start thinking about next years goals...we don't do resolutions...more goals that we want to achieve throughout the year...mine will be mostly focused on saving for a house and my health...

Hope everyone else is doing good and getting ready for christmas.!!

We have just noticed that we have an extra$100 coming out of our income...I know you ask how did we not realise this...well honestly it is easy we are paid in US dollars..once converted to Aust $'s it is different and the exchange rates change all the time so we just set a certain amount and stick to that....its not something we keep a close eye on...our bank acct yes but not the work paperwork...maybe because of all the new tax stuff that was happening in march...I'm not sure....so hopefully it will help us come tax time...although I will get a family member over there to do it for next year as we still haven't heard back on this year taxes and they were sent in april....guess we will find out...as long as we don't owe...we only pay federal taxes not state!

other than food/rent/phone/gas bills which are monthly bills everything else is paid for for the year...so doing ok in that area...will start doing christmas food shopping soon...not much to get....and we have a cold lunch here considering it is summer...its 104 degrees today...so staying indoors..keeping an eye of the bushfire alerts...and do hourly check of the yard for stressed animals...we have a lot of wildlife here...we have lots of water out but it does get hot and they do get stressed...

not much else happening...stay safe...only 28 days till x-mas

Well only 29 days till christmas...can you believe it...this year has gone by so fast but also at a snails pace...for some...I can say I am ready for a new year, new budget and a new start to everything...a restart...but I am ready for chistmas other than food and ready fro a new year.

Summer is starting here..its 104 here tomorrow...not looking forward to summer but also sick of the cold weather....should be spring all year LOL!

I am hoping to get into an integrated medical clinic here and talk to their doctors..probably won't be till next year as they are busy..but it is expensive...$300 for an intial visit before any tests...so we will see what happens..but maybe we can get some answers..

Hope everyone has a great thanksgiving...whether you are staying alone or with family stay safe 

Well our lockdown lasted 2 days and it was over, one of the guys lied to the tracers about what had happened so it wasn't as bad as they thought...but the pizza store he was working at is being investigated for paying in cash and drug trading...so guessing someone is going to be in trouble when all this is over..we currently have 38 cases but they are all quarantined in the hotel so none in the community...but most still wear masks etc..it sucks as we had no covid in the community since april  and one idiot doesn't follow protocol and this happens!!

Still having issues with our landlord, we have been asking for the water filter to be changed for over a month and we still haven't heard about the holes in the roof being fixed...so have emailed again saying if they don't respond to us we will go to tribunal...we pay good money we shouldn't have to live like this..we only have 88 days till we have to move..hopefully they will let us move early..but won't hold my breath.

Financially it has been hard as we paid for a storage unit for a year ($1900) and have been helping out our daughter who hasn't been working the last month...she starts her new job next week and will start paying us back after she has a couple paychecks...as well as the money for surgery...but we will start getting ours savings back up..it is really dismal right now...but we still have some so that is ok...all bills are paid...plenty of food so all is good.

Our oldest who still lives with us and will for the rest of her life due to a chronic illness has decided to have a baby next year so she is organising that..she is doing it by herself so is doing IUI...she is so happy and been waiting a while so we are happy for her...be great to have a baby around again...so we will support her through it all....financially she is all set and has everything she needs for the baby and the procedure..

I have found an integrated doctors surgery not far from us..that my new shrink told me about so hoping that they can start giving me some answers to my issues..it is expensive..and we will get some money back but I just need some answers...my gut tells me it is something simple that people are overlooking..but right now I will try anything to feel healthy...not sure if I will get in this year..but hopefully early next year....my psychologist who also does yoga...said my case she has never seen before...as has every doctor I have ever seen...but hopefully with seeing all the specialists that I am seeing some answers will come up...it is  expensive seeing them all but being unhealthy is just as expensive and at least this way I am trying to figure out what is wrong and can hopefully get healthy enough to work....I miss working so much!!

Happy thanksgiving everyone...although we won't be celebrating this year..hope everyone has  great day

So forget yesterdays post about people panic buying...today was much worse the lines were over 100 metres long today...so we went home and will try again tonight. 

So our state now has I think 34 cases and 17 of them are in the community (mainly 1 family) because of this and we want to stop the spread of covid our state as of midnight is in complete lockdown...only essential people are allowed to work, schools closed, childcare/schools are open but only for essential workers..can't even take a walk and only 1 person is allowed to go grocery shopping and masks are mandatory again if you are out...so hopefully we will have it back under control in no time...after 6 days they will see what is happening and then will either stay in lockdown or start easing things again...

So frustrating apparently an overseas visitor left their mandatory lockdown to go get a pizza and thats what started this in the community...only took 1 idiot

Ok I have to laugh at this and I'm sorry if it offends anyone but I can't help it.

Our state has had no communiy covid cases for months..one of the workers obviously didn't do the right thing when it came to protocols and now we have covid in the community..17 cases in the last 2 days...most with the same family..they have shut down I supermarket and 2 schools to clean them..should be reopened within 24 hours...but people here have started panic buying especially toiet paper...don't know why toilet paper isn't even part of the disease...but really 17 people and and they are panic buying things...I find this funny...shows you how easy we have had it for so long!!!

All our bills except our phones/groceries/gas are paid up till the end of the year....our christmas shopping is pretty much done..just a few small things to get and its all done...we do need to buy christmas food but that usually doesn't cost that much and we haven't been spending all our grocery budget so we should have enough to cover it all...we are hoping to get a storage container in the next month or so so we can store some stuff till we buy a house....it will cost us but that is life...hard to get a house with a shed anymore...

So pretty much any extra money we get between now and the new year will go into savings...for our house and our move in febthen hopefully within 12-18 months we can buy our own house.

Our youngest has had her surgery and recoverying nicely...she has had 3 job offers and starts her new job on 30 nov so she will start to pay us back after that...we will give her a couple pays to get some savings again then she will pay us back...so looks like everything is going smoothly right now...financially things are doing well...hope it stays that way

I have been looking at our grocery budget and the prices of things have gone up in a lot of areas...I knew they would at the beginning of the year because of last years bushfires here in Australia...but then covid hit and they increased again due to people panic buying....well the shelves have been full for months now but prices really haven't dropped...is that the same around the globe? although it hasn't really cost us anymore from what we budget...I am still keeping an eye on prices and sales...and we have never been big on take away so that really hasn't changed...how are others going when it comes to their food budget?

Christmas is in 45 days are you ready??

Just wondering how different christmas will be for you guys this year...i know our country has very few restrictions...no covid cases in the community (haven't for months except in 2 states which are now clear) only cases we have are in quarantine so we won't be any stipulations on where we can go or what we can do with how many people....just wondering if you guys have restrictions over there that will affect your christmas...such as travelling to see family or have them visit you, sending things through the mail...rather than visiting? or will you just play it safe and stay closer to home so you are safer from covid...I know you guys still have a lot of covid cases but we really don't hear much else on how it is affecting you all...if it is affecting your daily life...I hope whatever you are doing for christmas or whoever you are spending it with that you have an amazing day full of love, fun and happiness...we can all use lots of that!!

With our weather here it looks like its going to be a hot one here for christmas....hopefully not to hot!! 

It's payweek this week..who doesn't love payweek..the only thing we need to use the money for is grocery and gas...the rest will go into savings.

Gas here for the last week has been 96c a litre (which is equal to 3.7 litres per gallon), don't know if that is cheap for you guys but it is for us...it has been around $1.47pl a majority of time so it has been nice...we still take out the same amount of gas money but we have about half left from the last pay...but being warmer we will probably use more gas going to the beach more

Grocery money has also been doing good...we haven't really been spending much..we have been tired so had takeaway a couple times...but we are also not buying specials since we are moving early next year...less to move so will save and restock the cupboards when we move

I have finished all the big presents for christmas...just need some stocking fillers and we are done...so glad to be done with that...the stores get crazy around christmas time...I hope everyone has a joyous christmas...it has been a hard year for everyone...just need lots of peace/love and joy in the world...can't believe christmas is in 45 days....😧...I feel this year has gone fast...but I am also ready for a new year

So we are moving in february next year...so I have decided to start decluttering and going through things so we can donate/sell/throw away...I am a big organizer and want things done...I'm kind of excited to be going through things and packing things up...just need to find another rental...but thats another issue!

Hopefully will make a few dollars selling a few things off...fingers crossed will be doing it I go through things over the next few months

Just wondering how people think their current financial situations will change with whoever becomes President? i don't know all that they are proposing in their election promises and I don't understand all your IRS/Roth accts etc...but just wondering if any of you will find it more financially difficult or better off under either one? just curious..don't care who voted for who...or who gets in but how it will affect people financially if at all.

I have been doing my moms budget for a few years now, she was struggling and in debt...well she was debt free over a year ago...and we saved up some money for her to buy new furniture when she moved into her new rental...which she loved as it was needed. Her and my nephew (who has lived with her since birth) have been thriving since its just the 2 of them...she is stress free and although her budget is tight right now...her bills are all in credit and she said to me the other day "you made me live on a tight budget...now thats all I do is look at prices and watch how I spend my money....thankyou" I told her saving money would become a habit...I'm so glad she is still going strong with it..I love helping people budget...even better when they listen...although I do wish it was taught in schools so kids leave school with a good knowledge on money and how to stay out of debt

Australia had 2 days where we didn't have any new cases of covid...all the cases we have now are all travellers that are coming into the country from overseas...usually australians that have stayed or been stuck in other countries...we were only permitting 4000 pw into our country so it has been taking awhile....its weird to see as when people come back to our country they are escorted to a hotel where they are quarantined for 14 days...if they test negative they can go home..if they test positive they stay till they test negative....it has been this way for awhile...our state has been back to normal for months, everyone back at work, kids in school, the elderly doing fine...no community transfers for months...we still social distance, still sanitize everything...we don't wear masks...we hardly had any flu cases...due to covid measures....so when I see other countries struggling so hard and the numbers of people dying are stagerring to me...we have had 4 deaths (all elderly) in the beginning...but thats it...one of our states was really struggling but they are finally on top of it and hopefully will stay that way....borders to other states are starting to slowly open...

I hope you country gets a grip on it soon, I know you have so many more millions of people than we do...but I hope that life will be back to normal for you soon....unti then stay safe my friends!!  

Wow this year is flying by fast..christmas is only 53 days away....🙄

Our accounts are starting to look normal again...our ice account is back to $2000...will leave it there for a bit...I know I should add to it but with us having to move in 3.5 months and saving for a house I would rather add the extra to the house account right now.

We have a couple of warm days here...so nice but hope it doesn't get to warm to quick since our aircon has been turned off as it was leaking into the roof...and now we have holes in the roof from the plumber...but still no word from anyone....it takes the owners forever to do anything here...one reason we want our own house again...I really want a home not a house...just hard over here.

I do think this year has been good though..we have updated our car (paid in cash), we have no debt..and we are saving so that is a good year for me and hopefully will be able to add to it each month...and in 12 months or more we can buy a house... we will need between $30-50,000 for a deposit depending on the house we buy...and that is only around 5% deposit...its sad!!...most of it is fees 🤬 but we will get there.

Our christmas shopping is almost done so can mark that off the list...going to be a quiet one this year....with us..his sons family, my mom and my sister and her hubby...have already done their gifts...just a few more to get for my hubby and me...and some stocking stuffers and the dog...then we are done except for food...

Hope everyone else is travelling along well...know you are all busy with the election..thanksgiving and then christmas....stay safe